First Black-Owned Bank on the South Side

Happy Black History Month!

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Here’s what we have in store for today’s newsletter. 

Black History Month: The Making of the First Black-Owned Bank on the South Side of Chicago Brunch: Chicago Black Restaurant Week is here! Beauty: Imani Muse of Chicago makes pageant history!

Now, let’s dive into all things Black History, Brunch, and Beauty for the week.

Black History Month

Black History Month! Have you heard of Binga State Bank? It was the first Black-owned bank on the South Side of Chicago! Your great grandparents probably saw Binga around Chicago. 

Let’s go behind the scenes of the first Black-owned bank in Chicago. Do you know where it was located? Bronzeville! 

Create Your Reading List. Learning about the history of the South Side of Chicago will change your life. I started off diving into the history of Mary T. Washington-Wylie, the first Black woman CPA in the nation, and the insights transformed my career. I’m so excited to share all the research, books, and documentaries I’ve been watching. Check out our list of must-read books, as chosen by our readers. 

Scholarships. Check out our list of scholarships you can apply for in January. Don’t forget to grab your copy of “Debt-Free Before Graduation” available on Amazon. I received a dual degree in Accounting & Finance from a private university, stayed on campus all 4 years, and traveled around the world while graduating debt-free. My book, Debt-Free Before Graduation, shows how a girl from the South Side of Chicago used scholarships, internships, and fellowships to graduate debt-free and gain access to unlimited career opportunities. 

Brunch 

Chicago Black Restaurant Week is back for its eighth annual celebration. The event kicks off Sunday, February 12 and runs through Sunday, February 26.

Beauty

Last month, Imani Muse won the title of Miss Windy City 2023 at the Miss Chicago pageant.

In 2019, she was crowned the first Black Miss Chicago’s Teen and the first Black Miss Illinois’ Teen.

Meet the Women Who Were Crowned at the Miss Chicago Pageant:

Elise O’Connell Crowned Miss Chicago 2023 Madelyn Steurer Crowned Miss Cook County 2023Imani Muse Crowned Miss Windy City 2023 Annie Kamps Wins Miss Gold Coast 2023

Three teens were crowned at the 2023 Miss Chicago pageant held on January 7, 2023. They will compete in the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen competition in June. 

Meet the Winners:

Sharron Kagan Crowned Miss Chicago’s Outstanding Teen 2023 Young Ballerina Alyssia Duda Wins Miss Windy City’s Outstanding TeenLily Troyan Crowned Miss Gold Coast Outstanding Teen

Miss Illinois USA pageant. The 2023 Miss Illinois and Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant will take place from May 26-28, 2023 at the Braden Auditorium of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

Miss Illinois State Competion. The 2023 Miss Illinois competition will take place at the Marion Civic Center from June 6-10, 2023.

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